Monsters lose again at home, 4-2, to Rochester

It is never good for the Monsters when the biggest cheer from their fans is in response to a fight.

The Lake Erie offense was punchless Sunday afternoon in a 4-2 loss to the Rochester Americans in a game that wasn't as close as the final score. Less than 24 hours earlier, the Monsters were skunked at home by the Hamilton Bulldogs, 2-0.

It was Pucks and Paws day in Quicken Loans Arena. Fans were allowed to take their dogs to the game for an extra $5 a pooch. The money raised, approximately $2,500, went to the Cleveland Animal Protective League.

All the wagging tails and cute dog-owner pictures flashed on the scoreboard put patrons in good humor, but then the Monsters spoiled the party for the crowd of 8,136, including the 500 dogs.

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Rochester led, 4-0, before a goal by Andrew Agozzino with 6:48 left in the third period ended Lake Erie's scoreless drought. Luke Walker cut the lead to 4-2 with a shot over the left shoulder of Rochester goalie David Leggio with 1:19 to play.

Lake Erie outshot Rochester, 40-26, but quantity and quality are not the same thing in hockey. The Monsters were 0-for-3 on the power play.

"We're not scoring enough, plain and simple," Coach Dean Chynoweth said. "We didn't get enough traffic in front of (Leggio). He saw everything and made the saves. When we started to generate some quality chances, we managed to get a few goals."

Monsters goalie Sami Aittokallio was in net for the first time since Jan. 26 after missing five weeks with a lower body injury. He shut the Amerks out in the first period but could not sustain that mastery.

The goal that doomed the Monsters was scored 15 seconds into the third period. Rochester winger Matt Ellis pounced on a loose puck in the Lake Erie defensive zone and sent it to Maxime Legault in the right faceoff circle. Legault snapped off a shot past Aittokallio for a 3-0 lead. It was Legault's second goal of the game.

Fans realized the game was all but over at that point, but 5:09 into the third, Monsters left wing Tyler McNeely gave them reason to cheer when he got into a donnybrook with Rochester's Frederick Roy. Both players got in some good swings. When officials finally broke it up it was back to what has amounted to lackluster hockey on Lake Erie's part.

"It's practice habits. Maybe we aren't going as hard as we should have," said Walker, who assisted and Agozzino's goal. "We've been give days off. We should be rested. There are really no excuses for the way we've been playing.

"We've just got to turn this ship around. I've been terrible the last three games. Starting with me and everyone, we've got to go back to basics and keep it simple."

The Monsters, 26-23-2-7, have lost 12 of their last 14 games. The defeat Sunday was costly in the tight race for playoff spots in the AHL West because Lake Erie and Rochester are now tied for the eighth and final spot. Each team has 61 points, but the Americans have the edge because they have played four fewer games.

Lake Erie has two more home games on this eight-game home stand. They host Peoria on Tuesday and Thursday. Both games begin at 7 p.m.